I found two laser cut bridges designed by my friend. They were waiting for a long time to be assambled. I have an idea to make another diorama to use those bridges. I have 30x40 cm plywood and two general ideas about this diorama. Concept 1 - Valley with the single line railway crossing it by the bridge. Railway line can be pararel to diorama edge or cross it at some angle: Concept 2 - Two double lines crossing each other: There might be three different types of landscape: A) mountain landscape B) Upper line crosing the lower one with earthwork approaches - rural area in autumn time C) Upper line with wall build approaches in city area maybe with some factory (KIBRI) What do you think ? Which concept looks to be the best ?
Nice bridges. It seems to me the fishbelly bridges were mainly found in rural areas or with high elevation, less so for a regular crossing of road / railway or going over houses. So, while I am with Jim concerning a preference for urban areas, I think the bridges would fit best in an area with hills and pastures and the likes. Maybe in the back of the layout, with a more urban area in the front? My 5 cts... Matt
Thank you for the hints. It seems that rural area or valley is more prototypical option. I do no care about elevation due to the fact that this is going to be a static diorama. In meantime I finished the bridge with details: sidewalk made of wood and handrails.
Planking is lasercut very thin plywood. Handrails are photoetched. Both were made by my friend who designed this bridge. For handrails one can search Weinert and Archistories ranges of Z scale products.
I'm all about mountains and vertical terrain, and these bridges will look fantastic spanning a nice valley.
I made a final decision about the idea of this new diorama. I do prefer to have some prototype to be modelled. I was searching Internet and found one bridge I would like to be a subject of this diorama. The name of the diorama will be: "In memoriam - Plietnitz". Until 1945 the place belonged to Germany and was placed on secondary railway line Walcz-Zlotow. In 1945 German army destroyed one of bridgeheads. Russian Army dismantled rails and as a war booty took away to USSR. many years after the WWII one part of the bridge falled into the water. The bridge is not very long but monumental - there is 25 meters from the water to the rails. I think I will try to model it in the autumn time landscape .... That is a current look of the bridge: http://prusy.info/Forum/Jastrowie/nowe/Plytnica-pano.jpg http://prusy.info/Forum/Jastrowie/nowe/Plytnica-przeslo.jpg http://prusy.info/Forum/Jastrowie/nowe/Plytnica-filar-uszkodzenia.jpg That is after WWII look. Both parts are in the place but one is destroyed. http://prusy.info/Forum/Jastrowie/Plytnica-most-od-pln.jpg Historical photo between WWI and WWII http://prusy.info/Forum/Jastrowie/Plytnica-most-pociag-193x.jpg
I really like that you are modeling a real place. It's such a challenge to do, and do it right, especially after the real thing is almost all gone. Good fun, great modeling!
Coming back to a new diorama.... I started to construct main pillar of the bridge. I decided to use balsa wood. General shape of the rows of the wood was done using hobby knife. Then I glued them together and roughly sanded. It was not sanded to a "fine look" by purpose. I want to have some signs of aging with some pieces of concreate eroded and fallen down.
Balsa pillaster was painted with concreat paint by Faller, weathered with Artitect powder and some other aging signs were added. I was not expected that final effect will be so nice and realistic. I think that it is a good idea to make bridgeheads using the same balsa technique.
First layer of the terrain was created. River banks and small island as a base for bridge pillaster were made:
